Anytime we hear the phrase "things could have been worse," it causes us to reflect on tragedies. A small plane crashed along a street in Henderson, Nevada earlier today, killing one of the four people aboard. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sgt. John Sheahan stated it was a miracle no one on the ground was hurt. Yes, this certainly could have been worse.
The recent earthquake in New Zealand that took no lives, but caused an estimated $1.4 billion dollars in damage could have certainly been worse. And let's not forget the mudslides in Guatemala that have claimed 44 lives, yet could have easily taken more people with it.
But when the President of the United States uses the same terminology to justify August's unemployment numbers, it seems more like an excuse than any tangible proof of progress or hope.
The unemployment rate increased from 9.5% in July to 9.6% in August, yet market watchers and economists are telling us this is not a bad thing. That is unless you are one of the 9.6% of Americans who are without a job.
Economists are convinced that future job openings will mainly benefit those with specialized skills. Heath care and technology will lead the way in emerging growth opportunities. On the other end of the scale, they see service workers, such as retail, hotel, and housekeeping positions being in demand, but at a much lower scale of pay.
The middle class manufacturing jobs are being squeezed out, and that is where the majority of unemployed Americans once toiled. Look around Baltimore. The American Can Company is now home to offices, shops, and restaurants. Most of the office space is leased by locally owned, technology related concerns.
The old GM plant on Broening Highway is gone, and slated for redevelopment. Sparrows Point is a shell of what it was in the 1950's and '60s, and Solo Cup will be leaving the area soon. With the exception of Middle River Aircraft System's need for 200 employees a few months ago, there are precious few manufacturing jobs to go around.
Given all this bleak news, there is only one thing we can do. This week we are going to focus on the two primary sources cited by the above linked economic study; Healthcare and IT. Fortunately, Maryland is awash with jobs in these two sectors.
We will tell you where the jobs are, and how to contact them. We will leave the rest up to you.
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